The Greatest Adventure of My Life
by MistyDawn1993
Summary: Me and my best friend were joking around one day about how our days at Hogwarts would have been like, if it were real. I decided to write this for giggles. Includes references to A Very Potter Musical.
1. The Beginning

I couldn't believe it. It happened all so fast. The letter, the plane ride, the shopping, and now I was staring at the enormous crimson train known as the Hogwarts Express. I smiled at the horn blew to alert the children that it would be leaving soon, at exactly eleven o'clock.

"Do you have your cat?" my mother asked me as she straightened my coat.

"Stop, mom," I snapped as I brushed her away. "I'm just going to change into my uniform on the train."

"Do you have your cat, your wand, your books, your-"

"Yes, yes," I snapped again. "I have everything."

"Are you sure?"

The horn blew again. I turned to the train and seen smoke billowing from the engine. It was time.

"I have to go, mom," I said as I started for the train.

"Wait!" she called. She ran to me and gave me a hug then a kiss on the cheek. "You be careful, now."

"_Moooom!_" I whined in unison with a lanky, ginger kid a few feet away. I'm glad someone shared the humiliation with me.

I finally pushed her away and for the train. "I love you!" I shouted over my shoulder as I jumped on board with my trunk and cat, Stray.

Stray was a pure white cat I had found on my street the previous summer. Her name, obviously, came from the fact that she was a stray cat.

It was a tight squeeze in the isles, considering everyone got on at the same time. I finally escaped the suffocation by jumping into an empty compartment and locking the doors behind me. Stray was already sitting on the seat, purring.

On the other seat was a girl around my age. She was read a booking with hands holding an apple. I immediately decided I'd never read that book as long as I live.

The girl lowered the book. She had straight, black hair that framed her face very beautifully. She was wearing sleek black glasses, a black shirt, skirt, and boots. She also wore black fishnet gloves.

A goth reading about apples. I sure did know how to pick compartments. I mentally slapped myself.

"Hi," she said sweetly as she held out her hand. "I'm Charmaine."

I quickly shook her hand, then placed my trunk on the shelf above.

"I'm, uh, Misty," I said as I sat down.

"You're american?" she asked as her eyes narrowed.

I swallowed. "Yes."

"I thought there was a magic school in America."

I shrugged. "I guess there was a letter mixup."

She sighed. "Curious."

There was a long awkward silence. It was finally broken by a soft hoot.

"Hush, Herbert," Charmaine said as she poked under her seat. She sat back up. "It's my owl, Herbert. He likes the dark better."

I nodded awkwardly, then pointed to my cat. "This is my cat, Stray. She like dark _meat_ better."

"Charming," she said, then pursed her lips.

I cleared my throat. "So, what are you reading?" I asked, even though I didn't really care. Talking to her was better than the dreaded silence.

"Twilight," she said. "It's about sparkly vampires."

I burst into laughter. "Sparkly vampires!" I howled.

"What's so funny?" she asked, blushing a little.

I waited till my laughing died down, then I answered, "Just imagine if the real vampires heard you saying that they sparkled!"

She chuckled slightly. "They would ring my neck," she said.

"Exactly," I agreed.

The rest of the ride seem to fly by. Charmaine (which was soon shortened to Char) and I had lots of fun joking around. We also had the same interests, despite being from different countries. At the same time, we were intrigued by each other's culture.

We also ordered strange snacks that we had never had before.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans?" I mused as I opened a box. "They can't mean _every_ flavor."

"Try one," Char suggested.

"What if I get like…wet dog flavor?" I said, chuckling.

She rolled her eyes and popped one in her mouth. Her face scrunched up and she spit it on the floor.

"What did you get?" I asked, grinning.

She didn't answer. Instead she shoved a cauldron cake in her mouth. I assumed it was to get rid of the flavor. Finally she swallowed the last bite and sighed.

"Electricity."

"You're joking!"

She shook her head then treated herself to a liquorish wand.

After about an hour of snacking, there was a sudden shuffle in the compartment next to us.

"I suppose they're changing," said Char as she stood up. "I guess we should change, too."

I quickly dug into my trunk and pulled out my uniform. We both changed back to back so we wouldn't see each other. Then, when we finished we placed our trunks back on the shelf.

"You're a first year, too!" I said delightedly as I pointed to her robes.

"Maybe we'll have the same classes," she said.

"I hope so."

There was a knock at the door. I opened it and there was a guy with curly red hair in the doorway.

"I see you've changed," he said sternly. "Right, well. We'll be arriving shortly. Leave your belongings on the train except for your wands. When the train stops, exit in an orderly fashion."

With that, he left.

Char and I got off the train as soon as it stopped. No one exited in an orderly fashion as the curly ginger had ordered. When we got off, a large man in a brown coat beckoned the first years to follow him. I was hesitant, but Charmaine didn't seem to be afraid. The fact that she was brave gave me some courage.

She both stepped into a boat as the large man had asked us to. There were three boys in the boat with us. A boy with white blond hair, and two with short brown hair. They were rather plump, while the other was skinny.

"Crabbe, Goyle, sit there in front of those girls," the boy with white blond hair ordered. "I can't risk catching their cooties."

Char and I chuckled.

"You think I'm funny, do you?" the boy snapped. "I guess you don't realize the dangers of cooties."

"I guess you don't realize that cooties aren't real," said Char.

"How dare you speak to me in such a tone!" he snapped.

I burst into laughter.

"I'm completely offended by your behavior!" he yelled. "Wait till my father hears about this!"

"What's he going to do? Tell our mommy?" I asked, trying to hold in laughter.

The boy glared, then turned to the front of the boat. Char and I then fixed our gaze ahead of us and gasped. It was beautiful. The lights, the water, the-CASTLE!

"They call this a school?" the blond boy muttered. "More like a prison. I'd rather be at Pigfarts."

"A prison? A prison!" Char looked taken aback.

The boy turned around and eyed her fishnet gloves. "Do you have a problem, freak?"

"Hey!" I snapped as I stood in the boat. I wobbled uncontrollably and decided to sit back down. "You don't speak to her that way!"

"And why not?" he asked.

Before I could answer, the boat came to a sudden stop. We looked ahead to see the large man's foot on the front of the boat.

"You getting out then?"

We nodded and hopped out of the boat. The boy brushed his robes off and strutted towards the other students.

"They should really sack the great oaf," he told the other two. "He's a waste of space at this school."

I started to give him a piece of my mind, but Char grabbed my shoulder. "Don't waste your energy on idiots like him. Let's enjoy the night."

I nodded. We walked through the large doors and into an entrance hall. We all stopped and waited. A woman came out and cleared her throat.

She began to explain that we'd be sorted into one of four houses. Houses are teams, and after a period of time they become a family.

"TREVOR!"

I couldn't find the owner of the voice, but the woman did not seem happy with them.

"Sorry, sorry," I heard him say.

"I'll come back when they're ready for you." She went behind another set of large doors.

Char and I pushed to the front. The blond kid was talking to some kid in glasses, asking him to be his friend.

"Who would be friends with you?" Char spat at him. "You're just a daddy's boy!"

Everyone began laughing as the boy blushed. They quickly went silent as the woman came back.

"Follow me," she said.


	2. The Sorting Hat

"This is it," Char whispered to me as we entered a giant room with floating candles. "We'll be sorted."

"Sorted…" I mumbled as I looked around the room. "What are the… uh… houses?"

"Goodness, you don't know?"

I shook my head sheepishly.

She smiled. "It's alright. A lot of muggleborns don't know."

"Muggleborns?"

She slowed her pace a little, falling behind the other students. "How much do you know?"

I shrugged. I hadn't expected there to be so much about this world. I thought I'd known pretty much everything there was to know.

"Well, the houses. We'll start there."

She began explaining to me that there were four houses. Like teams. You're sorted into one house according to your personality, skills, and etc. She told me there was Gryffindor. Where the brave and loyal ones go. And then Ravenclaw, where the clever and witty ones go. That one sounded really inviting to me. Then there was Hufflepuff - whatever the hell that is - they're sorted because they're very humble. People say they're just the left-over kids. That sounded aweful to me. And then there was Slytherin.

"There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."

This came from the lanky ginger kid. He was telling the kid in glasses.

"Exactly," said Char. "Some Slytherins are good, see. They're just sneaky, like a snake. But some…. they're as venomous as a snake."

I swallowed. "I don't like the sound of that."

"I prefer Gryffindor myself. My mam was in Gryffindor and dad was in Slytherin…. He's not bad, though. He supports the muggleborns. My mam was one."

"What's a muggleborn, now?"

But before Char could tell me, they called her name.

"Ackles, Charmaine!"

Charmaine grinned at me, then went to the front and sat on a stool. I'd completely forgot to watch the others. I didn't even realize there was a stool.

The woman from earlier place a shabby looking hat on Char's head. I jumped when the hat began to speak!

"Ah, Charmaine Ackles. Yes…. very loyal, very loyal. You'd be great in Gryffindor, but alas. I think you'll do better in _Slytherin_!"

Char's face went pale as she stood from the stool. She gave me a sorry look as she joined a table of cheering kids in black robes with green trim. I felt my heart drop and my stomach turn.

"_There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."_

"_They're as venomous as a snake."_

It couldn't be true. My first friend at Hogwarts and she had the potential to turn evil. Unless I was put in Slytherin. Maybe I could keep her in line.

The next few kids seemed to take forever to be sorted. He kid with glasses (Harry, was his name) was sorted into Gryffindor, along with, Ronald, the lanky ginger. The blond kid was sorted into Slytherin. His name was Draco.

_What a strange name, _I thought.

"Turner, Misty!"

As soon as my name was called I ran up to the stool, eager to know where I'm placed. Before I could even get comfy on the seat, the hat placed me.

"Gryffindor!"

_No!_

The woman nudged me to leave the stool. I joined the table with kids beckoning me toward them. They had red trim on their robes.

"Welcome to Gryffindor!" said a black kid with dreadlocks.

"You'll have great fun with us!" said one twin ginger.

"How about you try this ton tongue toffee?" said the other.

I shook my head. The curly headed ginger - where were they coming from! - from the train shook his head at the twins.

"Those are my brothers, Fred and George. Never trust them. They're troublesome. You look like a young girl who abides by the rules… like me!" He grinned.

I raised my eyebrow and his grin faded.

"Oh! No! About the rules! Not about being a young girl!"

"Lookie here," said the first twin.

"The newbie made Percy admit he's a little girl!" said the second.

"Shut it, you two!" Percy snapped at the twins. He stood up and sat near a girl that was at the table of kids with blue on their robes.

"Ignore him, mate," said the first twin. "I'm Gred."

"And I'm Forge," said the second twin.

I smiled as I shook their hands. I didn't realize making friends here would be so easy.

"So you're a first year," said Ronald. "I'm a first year too, though, you probably figured that out. I'm Ron."

"Yeah, I might be a mugleburn, but I can figure that out," I chuckled.

"Mugleburn?" his face screwed up in confusion.

"I believe she means muggleborn, Ronniekins."

"Shut up, git!" Ron snapped.

Harry leaned in. "Don't worry, I don't very much about this world either."

Ron nodded in agreement.

"Ron's been a big help, see, and I don't think he'd mind helping you out either."

"_Him_ help _her_?" a small but stern voice said by Fred - or George. I don't know.

It was a girl with bushy hair. "She'd be better off with a toad."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh? A toad like you, I suppose."

The girl scowled at Ron, then turned back to me and forced a smile. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'll gladly be your mentor."

"Oh, come off it, Herman," said Ron. "You're a muggleborn just like her!"

"And yet I can cast a spell and _you_ can't."

Ron mumbled something I couldn't hear.

"You have to help Harry out anyway, Ron," I said. "To help two people? That will stress you out."

Ron nodded, reluctantly I think.

A man with a long, white beard hushed the students and began talking. I couldn't register anything he was saying. I was paying attention to Char at her table. She was looking at her gold plate, crying. Why was she sad? Sure we were on opposing teams, but that's not so bad.

When the man finished speaking, a feast appeared on our plates. I didn't bother filling my plate. Between the snacks on the train and worrying about Char, I didn't have much of an appetite.

"Difg un!" Ron said with a mouthful.

"Oh, that's very charming," said Hermione.

Ron said something else with a mouthful, but I couldn't tell if it was 'shut up' or 'shove off'.

"You should eat, Misty," she said as she put a chicken leg and a roll on my plate. "This is one of the two feasts all year!"

I sighed as I picked at the roll and ate it crumb by crumb.

"If you haven't an appetite for the feast," said one twin, I deemed him Fred.

"You should eat this ton tongue toffee!" said George.

I shook my head again as I put green beans and mashed potatoes on my plate. I looked for a drink.

"Where's the soda?" I asked.

The gingers raised their eyebrow. "What's soda?"

I widened my eyes. "You don't-"

"-have soda," Hermione cut in. "We don't have soda. But we have water, pumpkin juice, and I think some tea is over there by Katie."

"Uhh," I didn't know what pumpkin juice was and I was picky with my tea. "I'll just take some, uh, water."

Hermione handed me the pitcher of ice-cold water. I had trouble pouring it, so Fred took it from me.

"You're too tiny to hold such a large pitcher," he chuckled. "Let me help."

After supper, the Gryffindors were taken to their common room and showed their dorms. I shared a dorm with Hermione, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, and Bridget Foster, _another_ ginger.

I sat down on my four poster bed, next to Stray who had already fallen asleep. I wondered how she knew it was my bed? I blew off the question and assumed it was a crazy coincidence. I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into bed. Stray I pulled Stray up to my chest and cuddle her for comfort.

I felt weird, though, sleeping in a room with girls I've just met. I also felt a little homesick for my old bed. I also had a longing in the pit of my stomach for Char's company. I missed her terribly. I felt like I've been best friends with her for all of my life. Rooming with these other girls felt wrong.

I tossed and turned in bed. I kicked my blankets off because I was hot. Five minutes later, I pulled them back on because I was freezing. I was unbelievably tired, but sleep seemed more and more impossible.

Next thing I knew, Hermione was waking me up. "Get your robes on, we have to get to breakfast before Charms starts!"

"Five more minutes, mom," I mumbled.

Hermione groaned. "Get up!"

I finally pulled myself out of bed and started getting dressed. Hermione told me she'd meet me in the common room and I only had three minutes. I rolled my eyes as she left the room.

"Is she your friend?" Bridget asked.

I thought for a moment. Was Hermione my friend? She referred herself as my mentor, and maybe that's all she wants to be.

"Uhh," I finished tying my shoes and looked up at Bridget, who was snapping her robe closed. "Could you help me with my tie?"

She walked over and began slipping the ends through the loops she made. "Who tied it for you last night?" she asked.

"Uh, just a girl who was on the train with me," I answered.

"Is she the one who was sad at the Slytherin table?"

"Were you-?"

"I observe people," she said. "I'm sort of a wallflower. I figured the best people to observe were my roommates. I noticed you watching her with worried eyes. Is she okay?"

"I don't-"

"Misty! Time's up!"

Bridget finished my tie took a step back. "Looks good." She sat on her trunk and began tying her shoes.

I slipped on my vest and robe. "Thanks," I said as I left the room. I spinted down the stairs and into the common room. I stopped in front of Hermione, slightly winded. "Sorry, Bridget was helping me with my tie."

"Hmm," she said as she handed me my schedule. "Thankfully we have all of our classes together."

"Oh, that's great," I lied. Hermione glared at my lack of enthusiasm.

"We do have Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaw, Herbolgy and History of Magic with Hufflepuff and Double Potions with Slytherin."

"Exciting." Once again, she glared at my lack of enthusiasm.

"Where's your bag?"

I shrugged. "In my trunk?"

"Brilliant," she mumbled. "Well? Run up and get it, then!"


	3. Resistance

After quickly grabbing my bag, Hermione and I made our way to the Great Hall for breakfast. There wasn't as much food as the beginning of term feast, but there was a lot more than I ever see at my house. Sausage, bacon, eggs, grits, oatmeal, toast - the list goes on.

I grabbed some toast and bacon and eggs and made a sandwich. Hermione looked at me, her nose wrinkled in disgust. I smirked before taking a bite of my masterpiece.

"Whas thur ta drenk?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I won't answer until you swallow your food and ask me again."

I swallowed my food and took another bite. "Whas thur ta drenk?"

"Honestly!" she snapped. "Don't they teach you _manners_ in America?"

I shrugged as I swallowed. "What are manners?"

She sighed in exasperation. She shook her head as she opened a note with our schedule.

"We have Defense Against the Dark Arts at nine o'clock and Double Potions at ten. Herbology is at twelve and then we have-"

I stopped listening when I realized she was just going to repeat the schedule to me for a fifth time since I met her in the common room. I decided to look around the Great Hall for something interesting. Seamus was trying to turn his water into rum. I was about to turn my attention to something else before his cup exploded in his face.

Hermione jumped in the middle of talking about flying lessons on Thursday afternoon. "Good Lord!" she said under her breath as she fanned away the smell of Seamus' singed hair.

I noticed some Slytherins behind Seamus, laughing. One of them was Char. She was laughing, but it looked a little forced to me. Maybe I was just imagining things. Surly she finds it funny like her Slytherin buddies. The thought began to grate my nerves. I threw the last bite of my sandwich down and turned to Hermione.

"I'm ready," I said. My voice cracked a little. She glanced at Char for a split second, then back at me. She didn't say anything, but nodded in understanding. I was grateful for this.

We walked to the Defense Against the Dark Arts and waited outside for the first class to finish. Hermione didn't say anything about Char, just about what she expects and hopes to learn in today's lesson.

"Perhaps we'll learn how to ward off hinkypunks," she suggested. "D'you think?"

I shrugged. I hadn't the faintest idea what a - hanky panky? - was.

"Maybe we'll learn about sparkling vampires," I chuckled, thinking of Char's apple book.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

Finally, class was over and students came pouring out of the doorway. The Weasley twins came out a few minutes after the whole room had cleared out.

"Oh, hey!" said Fred. I decided the first to speak is always Fred.

"Ickle firsties!" said George. "D.A.D.A's your first class?"

We nodded.

"Well, heads up for you two," said Fred.

"The first row is rigged with a farting charm," said George.

"A… farting charm?" I asked, curious.

"Yes," said Fred. "The know-it-all's always sit in front-"

"-no offense, Hermione," George added quickly.

Hermione scowled, but Fred continued.

"-and every time they raise their hand-"

"-there will be a farting sound to follow-"

"-and the whole class will be focused on them!"

The twins laughed with pride. I was grinning.

"That's brilliant!" I exclaimed.

"It's barbaric!" Hermione interjected. "You have to unjinx the chairs, or… or…"

"You'll tell McGonagall?" asked Fred.

"Once the class is over, everyone will have known it was us."

"We'll lose House Points for that!" Hermione shrieked.

"Oh, you worry too much, Hermione!"

The twins shook their head in disappointment at her, then shrugged it off.

"See you later, girls!" they said in unison, then raced off to their next class.

"Are you really going to tell on them?" I asked as we took our seats, carefully avoiding anywhere near the first row.

"I should," she said angrily as she took out her copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_. "But, no. I won't."

I pulled out my copy as well.

"G-good m-m-morning, f-f-first years."

I looked up. It was a thin man in a turban. I assumed he was our teacher. "'morning," I muttered.

Hermione nudged me before saying, "Good morning, Professor! What lesson have you in store for us today?"

I rolled my eyes. I can't believe I agreed to let her be my mentor.

"I-it's s-s-so exc-citing to h-have st-students keen to l-l-learn," he said, grinning.

I sighed. This fumbling mess was supposed to teach us our to protect ourselves? This was going to be a long lesson…

Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't so bad. It did make things more bearable when half the Ravenclaws had farting sounds coming from their direction. Hermione resisted raising her hand all through the class, nervous that all the seats were jinxed. I could tell it was killing her to not answer questions. But when class ended, I was more than happy to go to Potions. Even if it was going to last about two hours.

"Who do we have Potions with, again?" I asked Hermione.

She hesitated before answering, "Slytherins..."

I slowed my pace. Char was going to be there. With her friends. Her bratty, rotten… _evil_ friends. I suddenly yearned to listen to Professor Quirrell stutter nonsense for a bit longer…

Hopefully the twins haven't rigger this class with anything. Hermione and I decided to take the middle seats. They seemed to sound the safest. Maybe. Harry and Ron were in the same row of seats as us. As we were about to greet them, a door flew open and a dark figure stomped to the front of the class.

"That's Professor Snape," Hermione said as we took out our copies of _Magical Drafts and Potions _andcauldrons. "He's the head of Slytherin. He favors them, I've heard."

All I heard is: He favors Char and her group of morons. I groaned, resisting the urge to look for them all.

Snape told us we wouldn't use wands or spells in the class and that he could teach us to blah, blah, blah… Pretty much we had a cooking class, I guess. Though, it smelled horrible in the room.

At one point, someone's cauldron melted and their potion started to spread all over the floor. Students climbed on their seats to avoid the dangerous liquid. Before it reached mine and Hermione's stool, it disappeared at the wave of Snape's wand.

"That's was so cool, Professor," I mumbled.

"Five points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn," Snape mumbled back, but there was a split second that he was pleased with what I said.

But… five points? Come on.

"You're joking…"

"Ten points!"

"I was complimenting your-"

"Fifteen! And detention on Saturday!"

The Gryffindors were groaning by now and I was about to say something else, but Hermione clapped her hand over my mouth. I was thankful immediately.

The rest of the Gryffidors lost points, which helped my guilt fade away some, but then I remembered that I still had detention the following weekend.

The Slytherins, though, were praised for their "skilled way" of "crushing snake fangs" or "stewing horned slugs". It was ridiculous how much he favored them. Really.

"Look at how Miss Ackles concoction is a perfect shade of emerald green," he said to the class, who practically ignored him.

I did glance in their direction, though. A green cloud puffed out of Char's cauldron, before I could see her face. Most likely she was grinning from all the attention she was getting and the fact that Gryffindor was down about forty-two points by now.

I was relieved for Potions to end. And, of course, the relief was ruined by Snape shoving a piece of paper in my hand on my way out of the door. I opened it up. It was about my detention. I had to sort out potion ingredients in Snape's cabinets. Alphabetically…

All week, Hermione never let me forget that I'd gotten detention on my first day. Which made my first week so stressful and aweful. Saturday was closer and closer and closer… It was Thursday, though. It did cheer me up that we were going to learn to fly our brooms today.

The week seemed like a blur, but Thursday seemed to last forever. I couldn't wait to fly. Actually fly! I almost couldn't believe it. I felt like the whole class was a prank to first years. Or muggleborns, at least.

Finally, though, it was time. Hermione and I arrived on the grounds with the other Gryffindors. The other house was already there, waiting. My good mood was brought to a hault when I realized they were Slytherins.

"Perfect," I groaned.

"You should just talk to her," suggested Hermione. She seemed to be fed up with keeping quiet about my attitude towards Char. "She might not be as awful as you think her to be."

"She's a _Slytherin_," I snapped. "They're awful!"

Hermione thought about it. "I agree," she finally said. "In general, yes. Slytherins are horrible, but that doesn't necessarily mean they _all_ are."

I nodded. I knew this since Char was sorted. It just seemed too hard to believe. Before I could walk to Char, a woman with white hair - Madam Hooch - came out and told us to take a placed beside a broom.

We were supposed to shout "up" at our brooms. I felt ridiculous, but I did as I was told. My broom just bounced around for a bit. Slowly, but surly, it started to rise to my hand.

"Good try, good try," Madam Hooch told me. "You'll get better."

I found it hard to believe. It was almost as if the broom was resisting to be anywhere near me. I decided I was going to hate the broom. It's not like I did anything horrible to it. I scoffed at it as I threw it back down to try again. It rised slowly again. Slower even, as if it was resisting me even more. Stupid broom.

We were told to mount our brooms. I remembered doing it as a kid with absolute no shame when it was just pretend. Now it was real and I felt like a fool. Funny how that works, isn't it?

I mounted it though. And I did as she said, kicking the ground. The broom did nothing. I kicked again. Nothing. I kicked again, harder. The broom threw me off of it and flew off on the other side of the school grounds.

The Slytherin's were all lauging and smirking at me. Char seemed to not noticed until a girl nudged her arm. Char then looked at me and began laughing, but it wasn't the same as the Slytherin's… Her seemed softer. Friendlier. I was probably just delusional from the concussion that stupid broom gave me.

Ron landed from his broom and helped me up and brushed grass off of my robes.

"Thanks," I mumbled to him. "Sorry about your broom, Professor. I swear it hates me."

"Not to worry, dear," she chuckled. "I'll just inform Hagrid that there's a rogue broom on the loose."

Suddenly there was a yell. We all turned to it. It was Neville, his broom had gone higher than it was supposed to and brought him about forty feet in the air and through him off as well. Madam Hooch rushed him off to the hospital wing.

Hermione ran over to me. "Now's your chance," she said. "Go talk to her."

I made my way to Char, who was surrounded by her friends. I'd finally seen them. They were hideous. One had a face that looked permanently disgusted at everything under the sun and the other one was big and buff… almost a man, even. Then there was Char that was pretty and small and didn't fit in with them at all.

"Oh, look who came to join us," the disgusted one said. "What brings you to us, filth?"

"I just wanted to talk to Ch-"

"You want to talk to Charmeleon?" she asked, patronizing me. "You hear that, Millie?"

"She thinks Charmeleon would talk to someone with corrupted blood," said the one called Millie. "I think not. Right, Charmeleon?"

Char was slow to respond, but finally she nodded. "No one wants to hang around someone with a lousy Gryffindor," she snarled. "Much less someone with stupid muggles for parents."

There was a sharp ripping sound… no. A piercing crash like glass breaking… no. Nothing could describe this sound. Nothing could describe the very moment of my whole being shattering into a million pieces.

Tears began filling my eyes… out of my control.

"She's going to cry!" said Millie, laughing even harder.

I felt a hands on my shoulders turn me around and walk me away. It was Bridget, the quiet, kind soul that she was. She said nothing and it was exactly what I needed.

I didn't talk much during dinner that evening. I mainly listened to the others griping about Harry and Draco flying after Madam Hooch warned them not to.

"They were both complete idiots!" Hermione snapped. "Harry's definitely going to be expelled. Malfoy as well, I assume."

"No way!" Ron snapped back. "Once Harry explains that Malfoy was making an ass of himself, Harry will be in the clear."

"Think what you want, Ronald," said Hermione. "Harry will be boarding the train in the morning if he's lucky enough to stay one more night here."

"Rubbish," Ron mumbled. "Utter rubbish."

_At least you had a proper friend all week_, I thought. _At least they didn't break you._

I quietly left the Great Hall and headed to the dormitories. To make my day complete, someone threw a squeaky rubber duck at my head. I lost my balance and fell to the floor. An annoying cackle proceeded. I rolled over onto my back to see a small ghost holding more toys. I wondered where he got them all. I wondered who he was. He threw toy train at me, but luckily I rolled away in time.

"Who are you!" I demanded.

He cackled again. "_I'm Peeves, I'm Peeves. I'm the Peeves, the pol-ter-geist. I run these grounds and kid around, I'm Peeeeeeeeeves, the pol-ter-geist!_"he sang merrily, as he threw more toys at me. I dodged all except a dodge ball. Go figure.

"Well, leave me alone, Peeves," I snapped. "I'm in no mood to deal with you."

He threw a yo-yo at me and cackled once more before floating off. I picked up the rubber duck and a sock monkey and stuffed them in my robes. I figured Stray might like one or the other or both. Once I go to my dorm, I changed into my pajamas and plopped on my bed, snuggling up to Stray. I began crying again. I barely knew Char, but for the couple of hours that I did… it was like we were the only ones. Like we could take on the world as long as we stood by each other's side. That was over, though. My whole year was going to feel like nothing now. Char was exactly how I expected her to be… and yet the complete opposite.

Funny how that works, isn't it?


End file.
